In The News...

Veritas closes out strong vs. WVC

1A volleyball — The Vanguard cap off a tumultuous, yet rewarding season by pushing the Warriors to four games Monday

By: Seth Gordon
Published: 10/25/2011 7:31:00 PM

SALEM — Coming off a 3-0 loss to Perrydale on Oct. 20, Veritas played Willamette Valley Christian on Monday as if it was the team's last game, because it was.

Fittingly, the Vanguard sent off their three seniors with a performance that head coach Rachel Schippers characterized as "the best game we've ever played in the four years of this school's volleyball program."

As usual, Kelsey Hutchins, Maureen Lynch and Katy Schultz powered the team in its final game and, even though the third-place Warriors eventually pulled out a 3-1 win, Schippers said she felt the team's effort lived up to the emotional tone of the game.

"I told the girls to hold on to the moment and enjoy the last match that they'll ever play for Veritas," Schippers said. "It was a special evening for our team. Hutchins, Schultz and Lynch have been with the team since its inception, and they've been through a lot. I've seen them grow so much. They fought hard and even though we lost, I told them they can hold their heads high because they played so well."

With every set a battle to the finish, Willamette Valley escaped the court at Open Bible Christian School with a 25-21, 20-25, 27-25, 25-21 victory.

As a team, the Vanguard finished with 41 kills, 34 assists and 14 aces on 93 percent serving and 79 digs as part of hitting 86 percent on serve receive. The effort was a major step up from the defeat at Perrydale, which saw Veritas hit 18 kills and grab 50 digs.

Lynch finished with 11 kills, five aces and 15 digs; Hutchins led the team with 13 kills to go along with four aces and 12 digs.

Freshmen Jessica Stone, Grace Rosenbohm and Madi Crabtree, who represent the future of the program, also stood out. Stone had 10 kills, and Rosenbohm handed out 28 assists and Crabtree added 12 digs.

The Vanguard (5-11 overall, 5-9 Casco League) finished sixth in the league, one spot away from making the district playoffs in back-to-back years, but are walking away from the season proud.

The team stuck together despite several injuries throughout the season, including a knee condition that kept Hutchins off the court for many games early on, and progressed quite a bit by season's end.

"This season had so many twists and turns for us, but we all feel like we grew and became better people," Schippers said. "So, for that alone, I know we can all walk away saying we had a successful season."